List this.

Welcome to my brain's filing system. Because I have the most terrible memory in the world, and because the human brain's short-term memory only has the capacity to remember seven things at one time; I have become a connoisseur, and big fan of, lists.

If it's not a series of items in a row on one sheet of paper, having a dozen Post-It notes scattered all over my calendar or on my monitor helps me cope with the chaos that is life.

The most important of these lists is the "to do" list. On any given day, I'll compile at least two, if not six different lists to stay organized.

This might include items listed that need lists. Like my current one:

- Bills (cable, Discover card, rent, cell phone)
- Halloween costume? (Debbie Harry, 1920s ganster, Leeloo Dallas multipass)
- call muni office to VOTE
- Steve Martin letter
- check on Maybe baby (my neighbor's cat)
- start Entourage

And a work list:

- Nov. BTB
- New Prod.
- Dec. PD Driving Sales
- Nov. musts
- Oct. PTEN BASE check off

I have a "NO" list on my calendar too, of companies we've shunned from the publication I work on:

- NO SNAP-ON FOR MDN
- NO RINGERS 10/20/08
- NO MilleR ElectRic

When I go shopping, I'll compose a list of groceries to buy. This becomes a hodgepodge of different inks and penmanships, because it's continuously growing until the next store stop.

- olive oil
- oatmeal
- walnuts
- Nilla wafers
- bananas
- pizza rolls

I have a notebook by my desk dedicated to writing lists. I'll use acronyms, poor spelling and no punctuation. I've made lists of CDs to borrow, clothes to buy, movies to watch, and things to pack on trips (!).

The only problem really, is that I keep making new ones... instead of adding to the others. Maybe that's why I still can't remember anything.